This week, the Canadian Union of Postal Workers issued notice to bargain to Canada Post for both of our major bargaining units. After years of raucous labour-relations, attacks from government and violations of our constitutional right to free collective bargaining, there are many issues that must be resolved. The Urban Operations unit and the Rural and Suburban Mail Carriers unit will again meet the employer as one committee. Rural-Urban solidarity is key to achieving our demands.....

We are proud to serve our communities and connect the country. However, postal workers are working long hours and difficult schedules as a result of a decade of upheaval. Successive cut-back plans from management and governments have profoundly disrupted postal workers’ lives. Work/Life balance is emerging as a major theme in this round of negotiations. Many of our demands deal directly with workload, staffing and work structure. In this round of bargaining we will restore work/life balance for postal workers.

Better Services

Restore door to door: Justin Trudeau promised on the campaign trail to restore door-to-door delivery to those who lost it under the Harper government. It’s time to deliver.

Postal Banking: The people of this country are left to the mercy of a handful of private banks, whose only goal is to maximize profits. There is no public option for financial services.

The big banks have abandoned rural communities and exploited everyone else with some of the highest bank fees in the world. There is a better way. Canada Post could offer financial services through a public postal bank, just as many post offices around the world do.

Leverage the door-to-door network to establish new services at the door. A check-in service for seniors could help people live independently for longer. Programs like this are already operating in countries like Japan and France. Canada Post could deliver these services to the public.

Green Canada Post

Climate change is one of the greatest challenges facing humanity. We need to move beyond talking-points and onto real action.

The government must live up to its climate commitments. Greening public infrastructure requires government action. Canada Post could play a leading role in a just transition.

Electric Vehicles: Canada Post has the largest vehicle fleet in the country. The delivery fleet should begin transitioning to electric vehicles. Charging stations could be installed at post offices, electrifying the country’s highways.

Targeted Services to Reduce Emissions: Grocery delivery is a green service. One truck delivering groceries to many houses is better than many vehicles driving to one grocery store. Introducing services that reduce carbon emissions is essential to tackling climate change.

Equality

Postal workers are fighting to finally achieve equality for Rural and Suburban Mail Carriers. In 2016, we negotiated a landmark pay-equity process, which will help move RSMCs towards equality. The decades-long struggle for equality for RSMCs will be finally settled at the bargaining table. We demand one collective agreement, with equality for all.

Fix the pay scale! Following Harper’s back-to-work legislation, postal workers were forced to swallow massive concessions, including dramatic cuts to pay for new hires. We will not accept a situation where we are forced to work side-by-side with people doing the same work, and receiving much less pay. Equality remains a major theme of negotiations.

RSMC members also voted on proposed changes to the calculation of their seniority. The results of this vote are as follows: 85.7 % in favour.

THE NEXT STEPS

The negotiating committee will continue to gather evidence and prepare files on our demands in preparation for the first meetings with Canada Post.

OUR SOLIDARITY

This round of negotiations will be interesting and unpredictable, partly because of many outside factors; the changes in Canada Post management, the new Minister responsible for Canada Post and the recommendations from the review of Canada Post. To be successful during this round, the negotiating committee will need the support of each and every one of you.

OCT 9, 2018, TORONTO – Postal workers are putting climate change, and a vision of a postal service for the 21st century, on the bargaining table. Today, postal workers will give the public a sneak peek of that vision when they take over a post office in Toronto.

The action intends to showcase the post office of the future, featuring new services like postal banking, green energy and electric charging stations.

“This isn’t just about wages and benefits – postal workers are negotiating for climate leadership and expanded services that improve the lives of everyone in this country,” said Megan Whitfield, CUPW Toronto Local President.

“We’re showing Canada what’s possible if we use our postal service for the common good.”

CUPW is a member of the Delivering Community Power coalition, which is campaigning to use Canada’s vast network of post offices for a greener and fairer society.

Among the ideas proposed by the Delivering Community Power campaign:

electric charging stations at post offices

converting the postal fleet to made-in-Canada electric vehicles

assistance to vulnerable people via check-ins on seniors and those with limited mobility

financial services as a means of financial inclusion and green investment.

Many of these ideas are being put on the bargaining table during CUPWs current negotiations with Canada Post.

"We need alternatives like postal banking because predatory lenders charge close to 500% in interest for short term loans – the community needs a financial institution that has their interests at heart," said Donna Borden,Co-chair East York, Toronto ACORN.

“Yesterday, the world’s leading climate scientists have made our choice clear: we face imminent catastrophe, unless we transform our economy at lightning speed,” said Avi Lewis, Strategic Director at the Leap.

“Postal workers are leading the way – bringing the great transition to life by transforming an everyday post office into a hub for green energy and better services for all.”

Some great ideas above. Electric charging stations should be a no brainer, and I've heard about the postal banking services idea for a few years now, it would be great if it came to pass. Best of luck in bargaining!

Historically when CUPW has been on strike, we have entered into picket protocols to allow members of UPCE/PSAC, other unions in postal facilities, and workers such as cleaners and cafeteria staff to go to work. However, these protocols do not cover supervisors, management and other senior-level Canada Post staff.

This time around, the signed protocol does not cover members in the Canadian Postmasters and Assistants Association (CPAA) bargaining unit. They have refused to sign a protocol with CUPW.

Why a Protocol?

Primarily, we have this protocol so that no other workers will perform Urban Operations or RSMC bargaining unit work in the event of a lockout or strike.

The provisions of the Canada Labour Code state that Employers are prohibited from suspending, discharging, or imposing any financial or other penalty, or taking other disciplinary action to employees by reason of their refusal to perform struck work.

As many of you are aware, Canada Post has had a notorious history of attempting to discipline or discharge people who refuse to cross picket lines and we need to protect their jobs. This protocol allows those workers to continue to attend work and be paid, even though we are not working. Our struggle is with Canada Post, not them....

• Postal Banking - Residents of many rural areas have face long drives to get access to banking services. Providing banking through the postal service, as many countries do, would create new revenues for Canada Post and provide many benefits to communities.

• Expand Services (especially for seniors) - We need to look at who isn't getting quality postal coverage and evaluate how Canada Post can make services accessible to more people and meet the needs of an aging population.

• Internet and Telephone - As internet and cell service move towards becoming public utilities, a consistent service that aims to meet the needs of customers instead of squeezing them for hidden or changing fees could be a win-win for Canadians.

• Delivery Options - Many startups have created innovative delivery systems by linking businesses with customers online in new ways. Canada Post is uniquely positioned to bring timely door-to-door delivery of things like fresh food, medicine and groceries to millions.

• Retail Space - Canada Post's 4,700 retail spaces are in many cases underused. By making some of this space available to small-scale producers, Canada Post could strengthen local economies and bring in new revenues.

• Communities and Workers in Governance - Canada Post has for too long been operating like a dictatorship of the CEO and ideologically-driven governments. It's a publicly-owned service, and it's time for it to start acting like it, starting with opening new lines of communication and accountability with the communities it serves. Establishing community advisory committees could be a source of new ideas, and could be given more decisionmaking power over time once they're in place. Postal workers should similarly get a say in the direction of Canada Post and decisions about its future.

Ottawa – Members of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) in the Toronto local will head to the picket lines at 12:01 am EDT on Tuesday, October 23, to begin the second day of postal disruptions across the country. Job action will take place in the Greater Toronto Area, (excluding Scarborough) and most of the 905-region.

While both sides remain at the bargaining table, CUPW members are still without agreements for the Urban Postal Operations and Rural and Suburban Mail Carriers (RSMC) bargaining unit.

“For us to reach any agreements, Canada Post has to talk about the changing nature of postal work and the issues that stem from the growth of parcels,” says Mike Palecek, CUPW National President. “We need to address health and safety concerns and precarious work, as well as gender equality. We will stay at the bargaining table and on the picket line for as long as it takes to get a fair deal for our members.”

CUPW has been negotiating collective agreements with Canada Post for almost a year for the Urban Postal Operations and Rural and Suburban Mail Carriers (RSMC) bargaining units.

Key demands for postal workers during this round of bargaining are job security, an end to forced overtime and overburdening, better health and safety measures, service expansion and equality for RSMCs.

On Wednesday, October 24, 2018, Minister of Labour Ms Patty Hajdu appointed Mr. Morton Mitchnick as a special mediator to assist the parties in reaching negotiated collective agreements. Your negotiating committee will work with the special mediator and Mr. Peter Simpson, Director General of the Federal Mediation and Conciliation Services, to achieve the improvements that we need in our collective agreements.

Strike Activities

Our strike activities will continue until further notice. Continue your support of your negotiating committee and your demands.

Members of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) from the Red Deer local in Alberta, walked off the job at 6 am MT on Thursday, October 25th, joining members from the Sherbrooke local on the picket lines.

Members of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) from the Sherbrooke local in Quebec, walked off the job at 4 am ET on Thursday, October 25th, beginning the fourth day of rotating strikes across the country.

Workers in the Toronto local were back at work as of midnight this morning, while those in Kelowna remain on the picket line.

The employer already has the revenues, and the public can still buy or use stamps and mail letters. They're just not being processed and delivered. It's unclear how that inconveniences CP more than the public (?).

..for one, mail builds up quickly. to give you an idea 50% of all the mail in canada passes through toronto. out for 3 days and that's a huge build up. to clear it most times overtime has to be offered. so go on strike loose pay come back to work make it up. this will happen at most large centers.

..bulk mailers don't usually mail during this time because no one knows which post office will be hit next. bulk flyers don't usually get sent out because they are mostly dated. both these are money generators so a loss of revenue.

..there's more but you get the gist of it.

eta..posties have a long standing agreement to deliver government chqs during all strikes. so if you haven't got your chq it more likely because cp deliberately holds it back. which has happened in the past.

So companies that have an option (lets hold off the flyer, lets just post it on our website, lets have the reps deliver it) will consider their options.

I was thinking of a similar thing -- people switching to "paperless" billing, direct deposit or other electronic alternatives to mail because of unpredictable delivery -- and wondering how many will switch back after the strike is over. Losing revenues may put pressure on CP in the short run, but continued loss of revenues can't really help anyone in the long run.

..for years there has been a shift towards paperless billings. this is nothing new. strikes really didn't force this trend though at every oportunity business, the media or the gov places blame there. it's the post office/gov though that has resisted expanding services. the gov long term plan has always been to privatize the po..not make it better, more useful for all canadians.

..i see trump is talking about privatizing the us post office. and i wonder what the new trade agreement has to say about cp.

Ottawa – Members of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) from the Fundy local in New Brunswick and the Sudbury local in Ontario, will walk off the job at 12:01 am (local times) on Friday, October 26th.

Workers in Calgary went back to work yesterday evening after 24 hours on the picket line, while those in Red Deer remain on strike.

“Canada Post continues to pile more and more work on an already-overburdened workforce,” says Mike Palecek, CUPW National President. “Working conditions need to change. We won’t settle until Canada Post works with us to find solutions to our health and safety issues, including overwork and overburdening, and ends forced overtime.”

CUPW has been negotiating collective agreements with Canada Post for almost a year for the Urban Postal Operations and Rural and Suburban Mail Carriers (RSMC) bargaining units.

Ottawa – Members of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) from the Niagara Falls local in Ontario, walked off the job at 10 am ET on Friday, October 26th, joining the Fundy local (New Brunswick) and the Sudbury local (Ontario) on the picket lines.

Workers in Sherbrooke and Red Deer returned to work at 4 am ET and 6 am MT, respectively.

“We are looking for fair and safe working conditions, equality for all our members and good, full-time jobs with living wages,” says Mike Palecek, CUPW National President. “Canada Post may call their offers ‘significant’ but the reality is they don’t address a single one of our major issues. We will stay on the picket line as well as the bargaining table until we reach fair agreements for all our workers.”

Ottawa – Members of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) from the Vancouver local in British Columbia, walked off the job at 9 am PT on Friday, October 26th, joining the Niagara Falls (Ontario), Fundy (New Brunswick) and Sudbury (Ontario) locals on the picket lines on the fifth day of rotating postal strikes.

“Postal workers take great pride in their job, and they would much rather be working than on the picket line today, but Canada Post has left us no choice,” says Mike Palecek, CUPW National President. “While we continue to strike, it doesn’t mean we aren’t still negotiating. We have never left the bargaining table, and we will continue to negotiate with Canada Post until our major issues – health and safety, equality for all workers, and full-time jobs– are addressed.”

So companies that have an option (lets hold off the flyer, lets just post it on our website, lets have the reps deliver it) will consider their options.

I was thinking of a similar thing -- people switching to "paperless" billing, direct deposit or other electronic alternatives to mail because of unpredictable delivery -- and wondering how many will switch back after the strike is over. Losing revenues may put pressure on CP in the short run, but continued loss of revenues can't really help anyone in the long run.

Companies will choose paperless because it makes sense. Not just because of a one month situation. Hardly anything in my world is paper, or they want to charge me for this service. The future of the Post Office is not holding onto to antiquated paperwork mail. I think it is providing the stuff noted above and more.

Your negotiating committee worked long hours all weekend with the assistance of Mediator Morton Mitchnick, in an attempt to unblock what seemed to be an impasse. We met with both the mediator and Canada Post numerous times over the weekend and we will continue to meet with the objective to achieve negotiated settlements. Your negotiators are determined to get the agreements that you deserve.

Rotating Strikes

Strike actions continue to keep the pressure on Canada Post to bring real solutions to the bargaining table to address our demands on health and safety, equality, fair compensation for all, workload and staffing.

Ottawa – Members of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) from the Winnipeg local in Manitoba, will walk off the job at 10 pm CT on Sunday, October 28.

Postal workers from the Iles-de-la-Madeleine (Québec) and Niagara Falls (Ontario) locals remain on the picket lines.

Workers from the Sudbury local were back at work on Saturday evening, while those from the Vancouver local returned to work at 12:01 am PT, Sunday morning, after more than two days of job action.

“Over the last decade, the working conditions of all our members has deteriorated, leaving many overburdened, with little time for their home life,” says Mike Palecek, CUPW National President. “This ends now. Our members will stay on the picket line for as long as it takes for Canada Post to seriously address problems in the workplace.”

While both sides remain at the bargaining table, CUPW members are still without agreements for the Urban Postal Operations and Rural and Suburban Mail Carriers (RSMC) bargaining units.

I am a letter carrier. I deliver your mail, here in Orangeville for seven years, but prior to that I have worked as a postal clerk. I have been working for Canada Post for 21 years. I have walked, driven in all the many neighbourhoods of our town delivering your cards and letters, and lately, more and more parcels and packages thanks to your online shopping.

In 2013, when the previous government tried to cut door-to door-delivery of mail, I spearheaded the save the door-to-door campaign in Orangeville. Together with many volunteers we spoke out and went in front of our town council.

We listened to seniors and individuals with disabilities. We asked members of the community to put a sign on their lawns to show they disagreed with the service cuts. I took action with my union, our neighbours and community organizations. Many of you stood with us and together we stopped the cuts.

quote:

Currently there are thousands of towns, villages, and Indigenous communities without even one bank branch, some that have even lost their last ATM. But many of them do have a post office that could provide financial services.

A 2014 study by the Canadian Postmasters and Assistants Association (CPAA) found that there are almost 1,200 rural communities with a post office but without a single bank or credit union. We brought our concerns to our MP who understands and feels the impact of losing a bank in a small community.

Meanwhile, nearly two million Canadians are relying on payday lenders and their predatory fees. Even those of us who can use the big banks are paying some of the highest service fees in the world. We need another option.

Today on the show, Mike Palecek, the president for the Canadian Union of Postal Workers. On Monday, October 22, CUPW commenced rotating 24 hour strikes across the country.

CUPW has been at the bargaining table since November 2017. Michael Keefe writes at RankandFile.ca:

“On September 7, after over 9 months of negotiations, Canada Post made its first offer to the union, which was full of rollbacks. The union countered their offer on September 14. Canada Post didn’t respond to the counter offer for almost 4 weeks. Their offer removed the rollbacks and made some movement on minor issues, but made no improvements to the major issues – health and safety, gender equality, work-life balance and preserving good, full time jobs. So, after no further progress, the union gave notice on Tuesday October 16 that it would start rotating strikes beginning on October 22.”

1,500 Postal Workers in British Columbia to Join Picket Lines this Morning

Members of four Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) locals in British Columbia are set to strike at 8 am PT on Monday, October 29. The following locals will be striking:

Royal City (Maple Ridge)

Fraser Valley West (Surrey)

Upper Valley (Chilliwack)

Squamish (Squamish)

They join workers from the Brandon local in Manitoba, the Thunder Bay, Oshawa and Peterborough locals in Ontario, the Lloydminster local in Saskatchewan, and the Pickering depot (part of the Scarborough local in Ontario), who walked off the job earlier this morning.

Members from the Iles-de-la-madeleine (Québec) and Winnipeg (Manitoba) locals remain on picket lines, while those from the Niagara Falls local returned to work this morning after almost three days of picketing.

Members of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) in the Prince George (British Columbia) local will strike at 12 pm PT on October 29, joining their provincial colleagues from the Royal City, Upper Valley, Fraser Valley West and Squamish locals.

“We outlined our major issues to Canada Post at the very beginning of the negotiation process, almost a year ago, and clearly stated that we would not sign any agreements that don’t address overwork and overburdening, equality and full-time jobs,” says Mike Palecek, CUPW National President. “Our position hasn’t changed. We aren’t just bargaining for today, we are bargaining for the future – for our members and everyone who relies on the postal service.”

Members of Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) from the Moose Jaw, Saskatoon and Weyburn locals in Saskatchewan, walked off the job between 6 am and 8 am CT, Tuesday, October 30.

Strikes also continue at the following locals:

Montreal, (Quebec)

Peterborough, (Ontario)

Fraser Valley West, (British Columbia)

Upper Valley, (British Columbia)

Royal City, (British Columbia)

Squamish, (British Columbia)

Prince George, (British Columbia)

Cobourg, (Ontario)

Deep River, (Ontario)

Fort Frances, (Ontario)

Kapuskasing, (Ontario)

Kenora, (Ontario)

Tri-Town, (Ontario)

“Canada Post insists their offers are ‘significant’ but the reality is they don’t address a single one of our major issues,” says Mike Palecek, CUPW National President. “We need solutions to overwork and overburdening caused by the massive increase in parcel volumes, more full-time jobs and equality for all our members. These offers are far from significant to us. We will stay on the picket line as well as the bargaining table until we reach fair agreements for all our members.”

Members of Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) from the Dawson Creek, Fort Nelson and Fort St. John locals in British Columbia, joined the picket lines at 7 am MT this morning. Workers from the Columbia River and Nelson locals, also in BC, quickly followed suit, with picket lines forming at 7 am PT.

While many of you have been out on the street showing your support for improved health and safety, better working conditions, more permanent work and less precarious employment, improved staffing, fair compensation for all and equality, your negotiating committee has been battling hard and working long hours to make this happen. So far, none of these important demands have been resolved.

What Next?

We must remain united and strong and continue putting pressure on Canada Post. Our health and safety is not negotiable. We must have improved working conditions so that Canada Post no longer has over 5 times the number of disabling injuries as the rest of the federal sector.

Your Support Is Key

The rotating strikes are having an impact. Your participation on the picket line is sending a strong message to Canada Post.

The National Executive Board has called for a nationwide overtime ban effective November 1 at 12:01 a.m. That means you are being called on to refuse to work any more than eight hours in a day, and refuse to work more than forty hours in a week.

Our position is that until Canada Post addresses our issues about forced overtime, overburdening and work-life balance at the bargaining table, we’ll do something about it ourselves.

With the urban collective agreement no longer in effect, we have the right not to take overtime, even if your supervisor says it’s forced overtime – because forced overtime was enabled by the collective agreement. We can finally say “enough.”

Why No Overtime

We’re pursuing better staffing and solutions to overburdening in this round of bargaining. Proper staffing and reasonable overtime process, better restructure process and regulations, and other measures should help address our runaway health and safety problems. We just can’t go on any longer with an injury rate that is five times that of the rest of the federal sector. And in the short term, we can show Canada Post just what it’s like to run the postal service without relying on overtime – it can be done, and it can create jobs.

And during the strike period, Canada Post will try to use overtime to clear backlogs and undermine the effectiveness of our strike action. We won’t cooperate with that.

What it Means For You

Work to a maximum of eight hours in a day, forty hours in a week.

Letter Carriers are to return to the depot and drop off their mail after eight hours’ work, regardless of whether they have completed their routes.

All RSMC and are to return to the depot and drop off their mail after eight hours’ work, regardless of whether they have completed their duties.

Part time and temporary workers are permitted to extend, to a maximum of 8 hours per day, 40 hours per week.

This is a legal strike action. All CUPW members must follow this direction.

You cannot be disciplined for participating in a legal strike action.

How to Proceed

When you hit the maximum in a day or in a week, just say no. Share this information with your co-workers.

Consult with your shop steward or local executive if you’re unsure about something, or if management pressures or harasses you to try to get you to work overtime. We’ll help you enforce our rights.

Members of the London Local of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) and allies will rally on Monday, November 5th to call on the government to support striking postal workers in their effort to negotiate new collective agreements.

Who: London Local of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers; London District Labour Council; Londoners for Door-to-door delivery; Ontario Federation of Labour; allies of Delivering Community Power.

What: Rally to support striking postal workers and their demands for improvements in health and safety, gender equality, and service expansion.

Today, the mandate of the mediator appointed by the Minister of Labour, Ms.Patti Hajdu, ended. The mediator, Mr. Morton Mitchnick, had been working with the parties since October 24, 2018.

In spite of the assistance of the mediator, Canada Post has refused to resolve any of your key issues.

The Strike Continues

We will continue to work hard to achieve your important demands. Our strike actions will continue and they are having an impact, which is clear from Canada Post’s recent communications. In today’s communications, Canada Post stated:

“Trailers full of parcels, packets and mail waiting to be unloaded and processed are backlogged in Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal, with more arriving. Once processed, these items have to be delivered without overburdening our delivery employees…”

Here is what Canada Post is also stating publicly:

“We value the relationship with the union and have been able to find common ground on some issues. We have also committed to work together to address employees’ workload concerns caused by parcel growth, additional financial services and going beyond pay equity for Rural and Suburban employees by extending job security…”

Nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, Canada Post refuses to take your demands seriously and bring solutions to address concerns about health and safety, workload, staffing, wages and equality for all.

Continue to support the strike activities and put pressure on Canada Post to work with the Union to find solutions to the key issues that are important to postal workers.

We salute all members and their families and communities who celebrate Diwali and the Festival of Lights and especially in this time of struggle.

Every autumn in the northern hemisphere Hindus, Jains, Sikhs and Newar Buddhists celebrate Diwali, making it one of the most popular festivals for many south Asians. Each faith marks different historical events and stories, but for everyone the festival represents the symbolic victory of light over darkness, knowledge over ignorance, and good over evil. Temples, homes, shops and office buildings are brightly illuminated.

The festival climax, Amavasya, is on the third day this year, November 7. Amavasya (Diwali night) is relevant to postal workers and anyone seeking social justice. Its spirit is a message of right defeating wrong, shared wealth over greed, and knowledge over ignorance. These are important values to celebrate in building solidarity during our collective struggle for workplace dignity as sisters and brothers.

Diwali is an official holiday in about a dozen countries but celebrated around the world. The festival is an annual homecoming and bonding period for families, as well as for communities and associations. Another aspect of the festival is remembering ancestors who came before us. The youngest members in the family visit their elders, such as grandparents and other senior members of the community.

At some point, we all get lost and we all need guidance. Together, we can make a difference in our lives and workplaces. Support our comrades in their commemoration at this reflective time, learn from their example, and strive for unity and light together as one human family in solidarity.

Everyone is invited to shine a light in the darkness and contemplate justice overcoming oppression, misery and greed. Light a candle! And create a better world for all. The struggle continues.

Today, Minister of Labour Ms Patty Hajdu extended the appointment of Mr. Morton Mitchnick as a mediator, for a period of 4 days, to assist the parties in reaching negotiated collective agreements. Your negotiating committee will work with Mr. Mitchnick to achieve the improvements that we need in our collective agreements.

Strike Activities

Our strike activities will continue until further notice. Continue your support of your negotiating committee and your demands.

After many attempts to resolve the many outstanding issues that were necessary to achieve negotiated collective agreements, the parties remain far apart. The extended mandate of the mediator Mr. Morton Mitchnick has now expired.

In spite of the continued assistance of the mediator, Canada Post failed to address your key demands on health and safety, staffing, over-burdening, job security, a reduction in precarious employment, fair wages for all and a better work-life balance.

What Now?

Your National Executive Board will determine what strategy to use to continue to put pressure on Canada Post to address these very important issues. You must continue, through your strike activities, to tell Canada Post that improvements to the collective agreements will provide decent paying, safe and secure jobs for all postal workers. The days of you being injured because of over-burdening and a lack of staff must end. It is time to have a reasonable workload and descent working conditions.

..those were the years of big change in the po. not only for how the work got done but for the union. those were the militant years. i was there in the '70 & '80 and i know just what you mean re the work to rule. i participated in various pitched battles for control of the shop floor throughout my time.

quizzical

..many breakthroughs were gained back then. first was collective bargaining for posties that then catapulted to the whole of the federal. next came the tech change clauses that protected the workers against layoff. around the same time as maternity leave was won so was clause 33 which contained the right to refuse dangerous work. once invoked it was loaded with investigations and reports. no other worker could be told to do the work. threats by supervisors were empty and could be ignored with a smile.

..and now the expansion of services is the new struggle. the new breakthrough. things like postal banking. i wish them/us well.

i've never been union but was raised in a union household. thought it was a bunch of bs solidarity and all until i grew up in the last couple of years.

deliberate defiance disorder did me no favours

..txs for sharing.

..i'm acoa and a commonality of acoa is that they work well within structures. the structure of the union, the structure of the contract, the structure of the work at the po allowed me to not only do well but grow. of course i didn't know this acoa stuff at the time, only many years later. after the po i worked in a co-op where everything was much more fluid..undefined. and it almost drove me crazy. i had to quit. eventually i found myself working with the developmentally disabled where lots of structure was needed..which i did for 15 yrs until i retired.

Your negotiating committee has now had an opportunity to review and analyze the latest global offer that we received from Canada Post on November 14, 2018 in the afternoon. Canada Post says this latest offer will expire at 11:59 pm on Saturday, November 17, 2018.

Canada Post has made some movements towards addressing our key priorities, however, we have a long way to go to achieve a negotiated collective agreement.

CPC proposes a 2.0% wage increase for each year of the collective agreement, starting February 1, 2018. A non-pensionable lump sum, paid at signing, to employees actively at work:

$1000 for full-time employees

$500 for part-time employees

$250 for temporary employees

Includes a Cost of Living Allowance protection that triggers at 8% over the last 3 years of the collective agreement.

Temporary employees to progress to the next pay increment when they reach 1000 hours worked in a fiscal year.

Letter Carrier Route Updates

CPC proposes to update the volumes of lettermail, parcels and packets once per year. The update will be based on the Mail Volume Index and PCI index, for parcels and packets, for the previous 12 months. This would include adjusting the percentage of coverage on letter carrier routes. CPC would only adjust the assessed value of the routes if there is a gain in the assessed value. This obligation ends October 31, 2021.

Health and Safety

CPC proposes a combined fund for both units of $10 million to help them become “a model organization in safety”. CPC already has an obligation under the Canada Labour Code to provide health and safety for its employees.

CPC is proposing a ban on compulsory overtime for the duration of the collective agreement.

CPC is not addressing the issue of multi-bundle delivery. The proposal is to expedite the current arbitration in front of Arbitrator Burkett.

Peak Period Temporary Employees

From November to January CPC proposes to use temporary employees to take some of the work off of letter carrier routes. The language provided would allow temporary employees to perform weekend work without first offering it to regular employees.

Service Expansion – Appendix “T”

CPC is proposing a selected set of new financial services. No commitment on what these services might be or when they could be implemented.

Environmental Services

CPC proposed to work together with the Union to develop environmental strategies and a review of all aspects including fleet, buildings, products and services. No firm commitments on frequency of meetings with the Union nor a commitment on reaching objectives.

Job Security – Still Conditional

CPC proposes 40 km protection for all regular employees as of the date of signing. This is conditional upon the Union agreeing to Canada Post’s proposal to hold Group 2 vacant positions in any circumstances; when CPC knows there will be a reduction in positions or when they anticipate having surplus employees. There is no limit as to how long they could hold these vacancies and use temporary employees to cover these positions.

Group 1 (Internal) Staffing – Appendix P

CPC has proposed that the Appendix “P” ratio be calculated using full-time hours worked compared to all hours worked. 78% of these hours shall be full-time hours. CPC is claiming that this could create up to 500 full-time jobs. The catch is that this proposal contains the creation of full-time flex positions that can be scheduled to work a minimum of 4 hours per day and a maximum of 12 hours per day. Employees working on 12 hour shifts would not be entitled to work overtime. These flex full-time employees will be in the PO4 classification but paid the PO5 rate and be allowed to perform PO5 work. Allowing this to happen would be a rollback and is not acceptable. Part-time employees can be required to work up to 10 hours per day and can be scheduled for weekends only. Part-time employees can voluntarily work up to 12 hours per day but this would be at straight time and not overtime rates. Access to these new schedules would not be on a voluntary basis. Employees could be forced into these “flex” positions.

Pension Plan

CPC did not propose any changes to the pension plan during the life of the collective agreement.

They are, however, proposing to review and “find solutions” to the sustainability of our pension plan, short, medium and long-term, based on a study that CPC sponsored.

Now What?

The National Executive Board will be meeting Wednesday evening to determine the next steps. Several important issues have not been addressed. There has been some movement on a few issues but we have a long way to go. Obviously this does not constitute a basis for settlement.

Your negotiating committee has now had an opportunity to review and analyze the new RSMC global offer that we received from Canada Post on November 14, 2018 in the afternoon. Canada Post says this latest offer will expire at 11:59 pm on Saturday, November 17, 2018.

Canada Post has made some movements towards addressing our key priorities, however, we have a long way to go to achieve a negotiated collective agreement.

There are many key issues missing, in addition to unacceptable proposals from Canada Post.

Key Issues:

Job security – CPC proposes limited job security! (see below)

Paid for all hours worked – CPC still says, NO!

Guaranteed minimum hours – CPC still says NO!

Hours worked up to 8 hour per day to be pensionable – CPC still says NO!

Offering a 2.0% increase in activity values for each year of the collective agreement.

A non-pensionable lump sum paid, at signing, to employees actively at work:

$1000 for route holders with 30 or more RMS hours

$500 for permanent relief employees and route holders with less than 30 RMS hours

$250 for On Call Relief Employees

Includes a Cost of Living Allowance protection that triggers at 8% over the last 3 years of the collective agreement.

Parcel only delivery on weekends to be paid at $2.00 per parcel plus drive time and vehicle allowance. PCIs delivered on weekends will not be counted on log sheets and will not be pensionable.

Pay For Some Hours Worked, Maybe!

No payment for the hours worked in excess of the RMS hours up to 40 hours per week. This means if your route is 30 RMS hours per week and you work 39 hours, you will not receive any additional compensation. If you work 41 hours, you may get paid for one hour of overtime. You may be paid for overtime for all hours worked in excess of 40 hours worked per week, based on the following conditions:

CPC must find technology that will be capable of verifying the hours worked. If technology does not work, then no overtime will be paid.

Based on an average over 2 weeks.

CPC will review after 12 months and may terminate this process.

Job Security

Canada Post is proposing limited job security for route holders only.

Permanent Relief Employees (PRE) – No Job Security!

Employees with less than 10 years of continuous service as a route holder or a PRE– No Job Security!

Less than 12 hours per week - No Job Security!

For those eligible for job security, Canada Post may assign you to a vacant position within a 75 km radius from your installation. While surplus, you can be assigned to daily assignments within a 50 km radius of your installation. You may be laid off after 1 year being declared surplus. The majority of RSMCs will still have no job security.

Short Term Disability Plan (STDP)

No improvements to the STDP.

Measuring Work Content

CPC proposes a joint committee to study all aspects of the route management system (RMS), work content and appropriate pay methods. This study will continue for the life of the collective agreement.

Restructures and Pay Protection

CPC maintains the right to not be forced to restructure routes up to 8 hours per day. CPC proposed “to maximize the number of routes to an average of 40 hours per week over a 2 week period when restructuring routes in larger postal installations.” No guarantee that they will not continue to restructure routes to 6 or 6.5 hours.

If during a restructure, Canada Post reduces the value of your route, you will continue to be paid the amount of your previous route for 3 months following the implementation of the restructure.

Health and Safety

CPC proposes a combined fund for both units of $10 million to help them become “a model organization in safety.” CPC already has an obligation under the Canada Labour Code to provide health and safety for its employees.

Pension Plan

CPC did not propose any changes to the pension plan during the life of the collective agreement. They are, however, proposing to review and “find solutions” to the sustainability of our pension plan, short, medium and long-term, based on a study that CPC sponsored.

Uniforms

CPC proposes to give RSMCs the same uniform entitlement as letter carriers, including the same point allotment.

Absence Coverage

Permanent Relief Employees (PRE) in offices with 12 or more routes (is currently 14), effective January 1, 2020. No other proposals to provide additional absence coverage. CPC still expects RSMCs to find their own replacements.

Now What?

The National Executive Board will be meeting today to determine the next steps. Several important issues have not been addressed. There has been some movement on a few issues, but we have a long way to go. Obviously this does not constitute a basis for settlement.